Naked Science Forum

On the Lighter Side => Science Experiments => Topic started by: cookaburra on 10/06/2010 13:32:00

Title: Demonstration with Iodine and a product of paraffin on programme
Post by: cookaburra on 10/06/2010 13:32:00

On BBC Breakfast TV this week there was an experiment that I didn't see but was reported to me by a non-scientist involving the reaction of a powder with a what I presume was an alkene that produced Iodine as a vapour.  I am a technician in a secondary school and would like to try this as it was apparently quite impressive.  Can you tell me what it was?

Title: Demonstration with Iodine and a product of paraffin on programme
Post by: RD on 11/06/2010 09:22:49

The item may have been a promo for the BBC TV science series "bang goes the theory" ... http://www.bbc.co.uk/bang/

Title: Demonstration with Iodine and a product of paraffin on programme
Post by: mcjhn on 16/08/2010 03:40:26

is it this one?

aluminium and iodine

Title: Demonstration with Iodine and a product of paraffin on programme
Post by: Bored chemist on 16/08/2010 19:49:19

Rather more likely to have been the reaction of iodine with turpentine.

Title: Demonstration with Iodine and a product of paraffin on programme
Post by: iwannabeavet on 21/08/2010 19:03:31

It was probably iodine and turpentine. You pile iodine crystals or iodine powder, if you prefer, onto a lab table and smother it with liquid turpentine, which causes an impressive purple smoke cloud to billow into the classroom. The smoke stings a little so it is best done under a fume hood.